Improved canal-propeller



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

N.'P. OTIS, YONKERS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED CANAL-PROPELLER'.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,657, dated May 9, 1865.

T o all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that l. N. P. Oris, of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful [inprovement in Propelling Canal-Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation-of this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig 3 is a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in the application to a canal-boat of one or two wheels mounted on the end or ends of'a shaft which has itsbearings in rising and falling slides mov ing in segmental guideways, and to which a rotary motion is imparted by an engine in the interior ot' the boat, in combination with a track extending on the side of the canal throughout its entire length in such a manner that by the action of said wheel or wheels on the track the boat can be propelled with comfaratively little power,

vand without any external power, such as usually employed. The driving wheel, being mounted on a shaft which has its bearings in rising and falling sides, is free to accommodate itself to the greater' or smaller immersion of the boat, and a guide-wheel applied to the front parts or bows of the boats keeps the same in the proper course and prevents any undue side strain on the driving-wheel.

A represents a canal-boat of the usual construction and provided in its interior with a small steam or other engine capable to produce the power of three or four horses. By this engine motion is imparted to the shaft B, which extends transversely across the boat, and on which is mounted a chainwheel, C. A chain, D, extending round this wheel, and around a similar chain-wheel, E, on the shaft F, serves to transmit the motion to this latter shaft, which has its bearings in slides Gr on the sides of the boat. Said slides rise and fall in segmental guides H,

' so that the shaft F can accommodate itself to the varying immersion of the boat without disturbing its connection with the shaft so that two wheels I may be secured to it, one

on each side of the boat.

In order to keep the boat in the proper position in relation to the track, and to prevent any undue strain on the wheel I, a gnidewheel, K, is applied. This wheel is mounted on a stud, a, projecting from a slide, b, which moves up and down in guides c. This wheel is smooth on its faces, and

runs on the top of the cogs of the rack J,

and it is provided with flanges catching over the edges of said rack. i

By this arrangement a comparatively small engine is sufficient to propel a canal-boat with the usual speed, the engine occupies but little room in the boat, only a small quantity of fuel is needed, and the expense of working the engine is much less than that required to support the requisite nun1- ber of horses and drivers usually employed to propel the boat. Both the driving and the guide wheels are free to accommodate themselves to thejarying immersion of the boat, and the expense of maintaining the track and the machinery for propelling is trifling after the same has been once put in proper working-order. l

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination of the rack J, wheel I,

pulleys C E, and chairs D, operating sub-1 stantially as and for the purposes set forth. 2. In combination with the above, mounting the shaft which carries the driving wheel orwheels in slides moving in segmental guideways, substantially as and for the purpose described. Y y

3. The lianged guide-wheel K, in combination with the rising and falling slide b, rack J, and boat A, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

N. P. OTIS. Witnesses:

ROBERT MoRRIsoN, GHAs. R. Oris. 

